Wiltshire · BA15
Tilers in Bradford on Avon
Tiling on walls that are thick, uneven and soft with lime, set out from the centre and prepared underneath so it stays where it is put.
Rated Excellent on Rated PeopleTiling in Bradford on Avon
A tiler in Bradford on Avon who will talk about the wall before the tile is worth finding. Old stone houses here have plaster that was never meant to carry a heavy ceramic skin, floors that are anything but flat and corners that wander. Tiles go on last, and they only look as good as the surface underneath them.
So the first visit is about the substrate. Is the plaster sound, or does it sound hollow when tapped? Is the wall damp, and where from? Does the timber floor move when you cross it? Depending on the answers we may fix a backer board, overboard the floor, or use a flexible adhesive over a decoupling layer. Setting out comes next. Tiles are laid from the middle of the wall or doorway so the cuts at the edges are even, not slivers.
Hard water leaves limescale on gloss tiles and dark grout very quickly, so finish and grout colour deserve a thought. Send photos of the walls and floors with the size and pattern you have in mind, and we will give you a free, no-obligation quote.
Watch
How we approach tiling
A 31-second look at the way we work, from our base in Frome to homes in Bradford on Avon and the villages around it.
In this video
- Walls and floors
- Preparation first
- Level, waterproof, set out
- Metro, porcelain, mosaics
Homes in Bradford on Avon
Tiling in Bradford on Avon: what we look out for
- Stone cottages & farmhouses
- Tiling onto rubble stone or old render needs a sound, flat base first, which usually means boarding or a levelling coat, depending on what is there. Flagstone floors can be uneven by a centimetre or more, so smaller tiles and a levelling layer are kinder than large porcelain. We test for moisture before laying tiles on any floor that sits directly on the ground.
- Georgian & period properties
- Soft lime plaster does not hold adhesive like modern board, and tiling straight onto it can fail or trap moisture. We usually fix a backer board in front and tile on that, or suggest a different finish for the wall. Covering original floor tiles, hearths or decorative plasterwork in a listed house can need consent, so ask the council first. A fireplace surround can be tiled around rather than over.
- Victorian & Edwardian terraces
- Many terraces have an original tiled hall, and it is often better repaired than replaced, so send photos before anything is lifted. In the back rooms, solid walls with salts or damp push tiles off, and timber floors flex enough to crack porcelain. An overboarded floor with flexible adhesive deals with that, and chimney breasts and alcoves need the layout planned from a centre line.
- Modern & new-build homes
- Plasterboard needs priming, and around showers and baths a tile backer board or waterproof system goes behind the tile. Chipboard floors flex and swell, so we overboard before tiling. Walls look flat but are often wavy over a metre, so we check with a long straightedge before choosing large-format porcelain, and set out the cuts so they fall evenly at both ends of the wall.
Planning in Bradford on Avon
What to plan for with tiling in Bradford on Avon
Test the wall with a straightedge
Hold a long straightedge against the wall and look for gaps. Large tiles show every hollow, and stone walls can be out by a centimetre or more over a short distance. If the gaps are big, we level with a skim or board first, or choose smaller tiles that follow the surface. A photo with the straightedge in place lets us judge what size of tile will sit well.
Choose finish and grout for hard water
Limescale shows most on dark glossy tiles and dark grout. A mid-tone matt or satin tile with a grout colour close to it hides the marks between cleans. A narrower joint is easier to wipe, but too narrow on uneven tiles looks mean, so we talk through the width before the first tile is laid.
Allow for deep window reveals
Thick walls mean deep window reveals and sills, and these need tiling too. Decide early whether the tile should return into the reveal, finish with a trim or stop at the corner. In a listed building, check the window surround is not protected before fixing anything to it. Taps, niches and switches should be marked before tiling, so cuts land on a full tile or a joint.
What customers say
Real reviews from real homeowners
“Pleasant polite tidy, carried out work quickly and efficiently”
“I would highly recommend Krzysztof he was professional, good time keeper and took pride in his work very pleased with the finished Bathroom makeover”
Written reviews are copied word for word from our public Rated People profile. The Google rating comes from our public Google Business Profile.
Getting started
Getting a tiling quote in Bradford on Avon
- 1Message us on WhatsApp with photos, rough measurements and what you would like done.
- 2We ask anything else we need and give you a free, no-obligation quote. Larger jobs usually need a visit first.
- 3You agree the plan and we book you in. One person, one point of contact, start to finish.
- Our base in Frome
- Main areas
- Local villages
- Also covering
- Areas we cover →
- Frome
- Beckington
- Rode
- Westbury
- Warminster
- Radstock
- Trowbridge
- Bradford on Avon
- Great Elm
- Berkley
- Lullington
- Buckland Dinham
- Whatley
- Nunney
- Chapmanslade
- Mells
- Trudoxhill
- Corsley
- Cloford
- Dilton Marsh
- Witham Friary
- Norton St Philip
- Wanstrow
- Southwick
- North Bradley
- Freshford
- Bratton
- Hilperton
- Midsomer Norton
- Shepton Mallet
- Bath
- Melksham
- Wells
- Keynsham
- Corsham
- Devizes
- Chippenham
- Bristol
Questions
Tiling in Bradford on Avon: FAQs
Why not use big tiles on my uneven stone walls?
You can, but only after the wall is made flat enough. Large tiles are stiff and bridge hollows rather than following them, so every dip becomes a lipped edge or a hollow patch behind. On most old walls we level first or choose a smaller tile. Send a photo of the wall and the tile you like and we will tell you which.
Should the deep window reveal in a stone wall be tiled?
Tiling the reveal usually looks right in a bathroom, because water splashes there and bare plaster would mark. The tile returns into the opening and finishes at the frame with a neat joint or trim. In a listed home, check with the council first, and tell us whether the window is original so we protect the frame and sill.
Can tiles go on a timber floor in an old terrace?
Yes, but the floor must be stiff and flat first. Boards that flex will crack tiles and grout, so we fix the boards, add overboarding and use a flexible adhesive. The joists below matter too, so tell us about any sag or bounce. Send photos of the room and of where the floor meets the walls.
More in Bradford on Avon
Other services in Bradford on Avon
Bathroom Fitter in Bradford on Avon
Bathrooms squeezed under sloping ceilings or into old bedrooms, with the waste run, the ventilation and the carry up the stairs worked out before the old suite comes out.
See details
Kitchen Fitter in Bradford on Avon
Kitchens for Bradford on Avon’s stone houses, fitted with the steps, the narrow stair and the uneven walls all worked out before a unit is ordered.
See details
Shower & Wet Room Installer in Bradford on Avon
Walk-in showers and wet rooms for stone houses, where the walls breathe, the floors are old timber and the drain still has to find its fall.
See details
Tilers nearby
Villages near Bradford on Avon
Tilers in other areas
Free, no-obligation
Get your free quote
The quickest route to an accurate price is a WhatsApp message with photos. The more you can tell us, the more precise we can be.
- A few photosThe room as it is now, from the corners, plus anything awkward like pipes, windows or radiators.
- Rough measurementsWall lengths are plenty to start with. We will confirm exact sizes before ordering anything.
- What you wantWhat stays, what goes, any products you have already chosen, and when you would like it done.